Arrival of early hurricane clouds at sunset Wednesday on Elk River, Elkton Md. Tom Mitchell/Wilmington
Posted on 09/19/2003 5:33:24 AM PDT by netmilsmom
Through the week, many of us heard of FReepers who were in the path of Isabel. I personally know Gabz, Corin Stormhands and Consitution Day were in the area. I thought it would be a good idea if we had a thread to ask if someone is ok and let them check in. Prayers to our FRiends in harms way. Thanks!
Great idea.
But instead maybe we should just pray there is NO next time!!!!
BTW, we had been planning a trip to the OB for next month. Our plan was to fly to Norfolk, get a car and just drive south along the islands. We have never been there before and it just looked beautiful and romantic, and we were going to find little places to stay right along the ocean so we could hear the waves, etc. while we slept. On Monday, my husband is going to call the airline and see if we can change the tickets to some other time. We both just want to cry when we see the damage and read the stories of people who have lost their homes and businesses. It wouldn't be the same, and it surely wouldn't seem right to be a tourist in the midst of others' heartache.
I was shocked a few weeks ago, when on the phone with a HS classmate (trying to makes decisions about cancelling our 25th reunion) she couldn't picture where I live. In exasperation I mention the book and the story of the ponies. She had NO clue what I was talking about.
It's truly remarkable how the media elite, no matter where they live, have no clue how simple it is to make a difference. Just stick by your principles, answer questions, give out information, and the very least, give people a voice.
While this may sound crass, or even guoulish to some, the time I miss being in radio the most is during emergency situations. Because DelMarVa has always been plagued by power problems, radio has always been the most useful medium for information.
Listeners always appreciated it. But aboive all emergency services appreciated it.
One particular snow storm in 1983 comes to mind. We axed all regular AM programing and most of the FM programming and I spent hours upon hours on the phone with all kinds of authorities. After we stayedon the air for 24 hours straight, the food started arriving. The local fire company offered to take any of us who wanted a nap and a shower back to the station to use their facilities, the cops brought us coffee and donuts!!! listeners were bringing us casseroles.
It was amazing. But as long as the information was timely and factual everyone was happy.
I'm sorry about your vacation plans. But if more people had an attitude such as yours the business of cleaning up and rebuilding would take a lot less time, IMHO. Gawkers and sights seers just get in the way, and make those trying to put their lives back together even more self-concious than they already are.
I've been looking for a way to help the folks who were hardest hit by Isabel. I do not want to send money to the Red Cross as we did after 9/11. Can someone tell me if there is any organization taking donations?
I haven't heard of any yet.
Some of the papers I go out and get on Saturdays are from some of the hardest hit areas. If I find any info I will post it ASAP.
Arrival of early hurricane clouds at sunset Wednesday on Elk River, Elkton Md. Tom Mitchell/Wilmington
I've been seeing those Red Cross ads on TV asking for money, but I don't want to support them either. I don't trust them to get the money where it's intended to go. The Salvation Army is usually quick to set up support for disaster areas, and they have a great history of keeping their own costs to a minimum. We'll have some significant Isabel costs of our own, but I expect we'll send a donation to the Salvation Army earmarked for disaster relief. We certainly are better off than our Southern neighbors.
I heard on the radio that a lot of people there are without power (as are I and most of the people around me in Takoma Park, MD). A lot of traffic lights are out, so I try to minimize my driving around to observe local damage. (A lot of drivers are barreling through blown traffic lights, instead of treating them as stops. I got rear-ended in a fender-bender last night because of one such driver. The malfunctioning traffic lights are a real hazard -- there have been several serious accidents that I suspect were caused by them. Pepco's failure to get those traffic lights back up by now is a real scandal.)
That is a beautiful statement, and something that doesn't happen very often.. Timely, true and everybody happy.
I can't tell you how many times I have heard it repeated on the radio: Treat non-functioning traffic lights as 4-way stops. The problem is, most people have no clue as the rules of the road of a 4-way stop. wich is another reason the authorities ask people to stay off the roads unless absolutely necessary - first they hamper rescue and power and other crews, and second they wind up causing more need for more of the above named crews.
The malfunctioning traffic lights are a real hazard -- there have been several serious accidents that I suspect were caused by them. Pepco's failure to get those traffic lights back up by now is a real scandal.)
Yes the malfunctioning lights are a hazard - but I suspect the cause of the accidents is more likely your observation regarding how many people handle the situation.
I wouldn't lay much of the blame on the power companies as I would the planners (read government bureaucrats) that set up the grids. Because of the nature of traffic signals it is impossible for them to be on their own seperate grid. They are generally connected to a particular power trunk in the the particular area they are located.
Once that particular grid is back on line, so are the lights. Unfortunately in situations such as we are suffering right now - there could be breaks in a couple of dozen different spots in just one small grid.
I am normally the first one to jump on power companies for numerous different things, except in situation such as this.
When the dust settles and all power is restored - then will be the time to really look into a better system of dealing with getting essential lights back on.
Please don't take me wrong, I'm not jumping on you at all - I understand, and agree with you totaly about the number of malfunctioning traffic lights during power outages, anywhere and at anytime, are scandalous.
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